Fashion in Song – Vogue (1990)

The ‘Vogue’ that Madonna sings about is a stylized form of dancing that evolved in the 1980s in the gay Harlem ballroom scene. The moves were based on the poses struck by models and actresses for fashion magazines like Vogue magazine. A 1991 documentary about vogueing called Paris is Burning gave a full history to the dance style that was introduced to the mainstream in Madonna’s song and video “Vogue” where she exclaims “Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it – Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it”.

About Jonathan

Jonathan Walford is a fashion historian and co-founder of the Fashion History Museum in Cambridge, Ontario. The FHM maintains a collection of nearly 12,000 artifacts dating from the mid 17th century to the present. Jonathan has authored various books and museum catalogues, including The Seductive Shoe, Shoes A-Z, Forties Fashion, 1950s American Fashion, and Sixties Fashion.